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Comparing The American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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In of Mice and Men, Steinbeck demonstrates the joy of the American Dream through George's and Lenny's own dream of owning a small farm. Steinbeck shows how many of the characters get excited when talking about owning their own place. Through the joy of the American Dream he shows us that the smallest bit of hope helps improve the daily lives of the story members by giving them something to strive for, a purpose in life. Steinbeck first demonstrates the American Dream when George and Lennie are waiting by the river. While by the river Lennie guilt trips George into telling him about their dream farm. Lennie mainly asks about the rabbits and when George tells him the story of how one day they will own their own farm, Lennie gets very happy "Come …show more content…

In the first occasion Lennie asks George about living on their own land and Candy overhears them. When Candy overhears them, he becomes very excited and turns around listening to George "Old Candy turned slowly over. His eyes were wide opened. He watched George carefully" (Steinbeck 56). When George finishes talking candy asks about the place they want to live and wants to join them. He even offers to pay four hundred dollars for expenses if they let him join. They accept his offer and become very happy because they thought they would never be able to buy their own place, but to them it seemed as they just might do it "they fell into a silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true" (Steinbeck 60). In another instance later on in the story they tell Crooks about buying land for a farm. Crooks tells them they will never get the land and George will spend all the money in town, but Candy interrupts him and talks about how all men want land and that they will get some "sure they all want it. Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much .... George ain't got that money in town. It's in the bank me and Lennie and George. We gonna have a room to ourselves.... We're gonna have green corn an maybe a cow or a goat" (Steinbeck 76). Crooks reconsiders his thoughts after Candy says this. He then asks if they would like an extra hand and

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492 Words | 2 Pages

In this part of the book Candy proposes, he goes with them and George lets him. John Steinbeck states “Then you an’ Lennie could go get her started an’ I’d get a job an’ make up the rest.” This shows how George is faced with the choice of leaving Candy on the ranch or taking him with them to buy land for a farm. Another example of a difficult choice George makes is when Lennie kills somebody and is being chased by everybody on the ranch; he chooses to give Lennie mercy and kill him there instead of letting everyone on the ranch decide his fate.

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463 Words | 2 Pages

Candy says he wants to live with them on the farm and has offered to pay some of the money toward the farm. Also, Candy helps out with the financials because he’s paying half and George and Lennie are waiting till there payed enough money. They will have to quit their jobs. Candy obviously has to quit his job because he is very old and that’s not good for his health.

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967 Words | 4 Pages

When Lennie and Candy are talking to Crooks about their dream Crooks he has seen allot of people say they would get land and never do. He was angry that Crooks said that and “Candy rubbed his cheek angrily. “You God damn right we’re gonna do it. George says we are. We got the money right now” (75).

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505 Words | 3 Pages

Steinbeck states in the novel, “You seen what they done to my dog tonight?”(60). An example of Candy telling George and Lennie his problems. Candy still feels upset over his dog death by Carlson. But by using that excuse he got George to agree with him, to let him live in the ranch once they earn enough money. With Candy’s help with George and Lennie’s dream, it is easier and now faster for the three of them to get their ranch.

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664 Words | 3 Pages

The American Dream The Webster dictionary defines the word dream as “A succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations”. Many people have different perspectives about dreams. In John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie set out to achieve their dream of owning a ranch while demonstrating the importance of friendship/companionship, while explaining the power of dreams and the impact they have. Steinbeck has shown throughout the story the bond of friendship is a double-edged sword, because while it can strengthen relationships it can also weaken and destroy them. Steinbeck shows this in the story when George ends Lennie’s life because he looked out for him.

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567 Words | 3 Pages

But they won’t do nothing like that.” (Steinbeck 60) Candy is worried of his own usefulness after his dog dies, and he sees the plot to buy land as a chance to contribute. Lastly, Crooks, the stable buck, wants to prove his worth to others. On the ranch, he was isolated and was not allowed to speak to the other workers much.

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524 Words | 3 Pages

The purpose is to reveal that Candy is lonely because he is old and has no relatives. For example, when Lennie was talking to George about his dream, he says, “I aint got no relatives nor nothing” (Steinbeck 59). That reveals that he is old, and he knows he doesn't have any relatives left alive; it also reveals that all he has is the men that work on the farm. Another example is when Candy said he can put money toward George and Lennie’s dream he says, “I’ll make a will and leave my share to you guys, in case I get kicked off” (Steinbeck

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457 Words | 2 Pages

In the novel Of Mice and Men, many characters seem to contain a dream, and not just any dream, but the American Dream; in fact, George Milton appears to have had the biggest dream as every day he goes all out to work toward his main goal: having possession of a piece of land. Ever since George has been searching for a job, his main goal has always been to own a piece of land with his best friend Lennie Small; furthermore, he mentions that “Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs” which describes George’s future dream for himself and his best friend. George’s American dream is vastly significant in his life as he’s been working from dawn till dusk daily trying to get enough money to go and achieve the one thing he has always dreamed about; however, his dream may not be as easy to attain as it sounds due to many problems and issues that occur at the ranch between his friend Lennie, his boss, and other workers that cause difficulties continuously.

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1091 Words | 5 Pages

Both Lennie and George have a similar idea of what they want for their American dream and that is to someday owning a farm. If they achieve this it would offer protection and financial care. Crooks tells them that they won’t be able to achieve their American dream and this ends up being true for them. Lennie explains their dream and says " 'Well, ' said George, 'we 'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we 'll just say the hell with going ' to work, and we 'll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an ' listen to the rain coming ' down on the roof... '"

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586 Words | 3 Pages

At first George believed that he could accomplish his dream but later doubts it right after he discovered Lennie did another “bad thing”. “Before George answered, Candy dropped his head and looked down at the hay. He knew. ”(Steinbeck 99). After they discovered what Lennie did to Curley’s wife, Candy asks George if they can still buy their land but all their hopes dropped as they suddenly returned back to reality and realized what was and wasn’t possible.

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667 Words | 3 Pages

Candy says, “Maybe if I give you guys my money you’ll let me hoe in the garden even though I ain’t no good at it” (Steinbeck 60). Candy is now wanting to go with them and says he has money to put in. He tells them he has money he can give them right now and that changes everything for them. They were all filled with joy when they realized things were actually going to come true. When George realizes it he says “We’ll fix up that little place and live there” (Steinbeck 60).

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1723 Words | 7 Pages

Since 1931 when James Truslow Adams first created the phrase “the American Dream”, people believed that America continuously offered everyone an equal opportunity to be successful. John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, was set during the Great Depression. Farms were struck hard during the Depression, and the two main characters George and Lennie were farm hands during this time. They had experienced the misunderstandings of other farm hands in terms of Lennie’s mental disability, but they were trying to earn enough money to buy their own farm. The idea of this farm drove Lennie and George to keep working, and like many others during this time they hoped to achieve this dream.

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834 Words | 4 Pages

But in reality, they are alike because they both want to find a place of their own and are different than everyone on the ranch. In Candy’s case, it is because of his age. Meager janitorial jobs take effort to complete, so he fears he will soon be let go. Holding on to George and Lennie’s dream makes him feel secure because he knows he will have somewhere to go once he becomes too old to help. After his death, he will leave his money to George and Lennie to keep the farm going.

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610 Words | 3 Pages

In conclusion, to express that the american dream is impossible Steinbeck used conversation, conflicts, and events. Throughout of mice and men George and Lennie got into many situations where they felt scared , worried, and angry. Together the plan was to get the money to live in a small place, tend to the rabbits and alpha so they are happy. But things happen such as George killing Lennie that make the american dream impossible to achieve.

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917 Words | 4 Pages

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. My favorite academic subject would be Math.

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